BURLINGTON — The Vermont Health Department is asking for volunteers from three Addison County towns near where the mosquito-borne disease Eastern Equine Encephalitis killed two people last year.

The study of volunteers from Brandon, Sudbury and Whiting is to determine how many people are infected with the virus that causes EEE, but have not gotten seriously ill. The blood tests would detect antibodies to the virus.

The first clinic will be April 23 at the Brandon Senior Center. On May 14 a clinic will be held at the Sudbury Town Hall and on May 29 at the Whiting Town Hall.

The two Vermonters who died from EEE lived in areas where mosquitoes had tested positive for the virus.